<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I got this letter in the mail saying that I have the option to apply with Willamette Leaders and that there is "no new essay."</p>
<p>I also have the option of applying with the Common App and that is what I would like to do. So does that mean that I do not have to include a Personal Essay, Short Answer (extracurricular activity), or any supplements they may have?</p>
<p>Also, I emailed James Summer and he never replied. I live in Oregon. Is there a specific admissions counselor I should be talking to instead?</p>
<p>Thanks!!</p>
<p>I’m not an admissions officer, so this is just my two cents. Willamette had just 8,000 applications last year, so when a Leader’s application comes in (with its shorter requirements), the person evaluating the application knows that the applicant was invited to submit with that application and thus understands why an essay might be omitted.</p>
<p>If you apply with the Common App, you’d have to actually disregard the instructions on the application to omit any components, which might raise some questions. Perhaps this isn’t the case, but if you’re using the Common App, you may as well complete all the required sections. That way you can send the application to a range of schools, in any case.</p>
<p>I agree with CalAlum. Remember that once you submit your Common App to one school, you can’t change it at all after that, even if you’re applying to a different school! (I think it’s possible to get past this by creating a new application or something. However, it can be pretty time consuming to do this because then you have to fill out EVERYTHING all over again.)</p>
<p>Furthermore, I don’t think the Common App will let you submit your application without that required essay.</p>
<p>I also received the Leader’s Application. Yes, I did write an essay. I think what they meant by “no new essay” was “no essay supplement.”</p>
<p>I’d suggest contacting Willamette again about this. According to their website, you should contact Teresa Hudkins (handles Central, Eastern & Southern Oregon, and Oregon Coast) or Ramiro Flores (handles Northern Willamette Valley and Portland Metropolitan Area). Their emails are <a href=“mailto:thudkins@willamette.edu”>thudkins@willamette.edu</a> and <a href=“mailto:rflores@willamette.edu”>rflores@willamette.edu</a>.</p>